Wheeled plow.



no. 664,!09. fPatented D es. 1a, mom

s. a. TINSMAN.

WHEELED PLOW.

(Application filed July 12,1900.

(No Model.) 2 $heets$hn6t I.

' No. 664,109. Pa tented Dec. l8, I900.

8. H. TINSMAN. WHEELED PLOW. A liauidn and July 12, 1900. (No Modem 2Shets-Sheat 2.

UNITED -'TATES SAMUEL H. TINSMAN, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOTHE ROCK ISLAND PLOW COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

' WHEELED PLOW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,109, dated December18, 1900.

' Application filed July 12, 1900. berial No. 23,307. (No model.)

' mounted as to be capable of 'being elevated and lowered together bymeans of a single hand-lever, to provide controlling mechanism forraising and lowering the plow which while raising both the front ends ofthe plowbeams and the plows themselvesat the same time is arranged tolift the plow to a greater extent than the points of the beams, to pro-vvide a supporting-frame which while it serves to support the plowssecurely bot-h in operative position and when elevated at the same timepermits the requisite freedom of movement of the plows when the latterare in lowered or operative position to insure the greatest ease ofworking and adaptability to the surface being treated, to provide meanswhereby the dead-weight of the plows is in part counterbalanced bymechanism tending to lift the latter, to provide means for shifting theweight of the heavy doubletrees used in connection with a machine ofthis character from the ends of the plow-beams to the carrying-frameproper when the plows are elevated, thus avoiding the objectionablevibration or rocking of the'plows upon the supporting-frame, and ingeneral to provide improved details of construction whereby theapparatus as a whole isrendered simple, efficient, and capable ofsuccessful use under widely-varying circumstances.

To the above ends the in vention'consists in the matters hereinafterdescribed, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, andthe same will be readily understood from the following description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 isa perspective, View of an apparatus embodying myinvention, the plowsbeing shown in lowered or operative position.

Fig. 2 is a similar perspective view with the plows elevated.

Referring to the drawings, 1- 1 designate main side bars, and 2 afrontcross-bar rigidly secured to the front ends of the side frames 1, thesemembers constituting the principal members of the main frame. Said mainframe is supported at its rear end by means of an arched axle 3,supported at each side upon main supporting-wheels 4, the side bars 1being arranged to extend inside of and beneath the arched portion 3 ofthe axle and being conveniently pivotally supported therefrom-by meansof clips 5, arranged to embrace the horizontal portion of the arch andso secured thereon as to be capable of oscillatory movement relativelytothe latter. The front end of the main frame is supported by means of apair of caster-wheels 6,,connected with the respectiveends of the crossframe member 2, said caster-wheels being mounted upon standards 7, theupper ends of which are rotatably engaged with vertically-disposedsockets 8, carried by'the said frame member 2. Conveniently and asherein shown the standards 7 are engaged to extend thfough the sockets 8and are provided above and below the latter with confining-collars 9,adjustably secured in position by means of set-screws, so that the framemay be raised or lowered relatively to the casters by adjusting theposition of the confining-collars upon said standards.

10 ll designate as a whole the two plows, which are mounted parallelwith each other, one at each side of the main frame, and in order tosupport said plows movably upon the main frame a pair of cranked shafts(designated as a whole 12 13, respectively) is provided, mounted,respectively, above the front portions of the plow-beams and above theplows proper upon the main frame. Each of said cranked shafts isprovided with a horizontal portion, as 1e 15, mounted to extend acrossand rest upon the main side frame members and pivotally secured thereonby means of suitable clips, as 16, and each shaft also comprises a pairof crank-arms,as 12 13, respectively, the two arms of each shaft beingarranged to extend parallel with each other and terminating in outturnedcrank portions 17 and 15, respectively, which are severally so connectedas to lift the plows. Preferably, and as shown herein, the crankarms ofthe two cranked shafts extend ap' proximately parallel with each other,the forward pair occupying a substantially horizontal position when theplows are uplifted and the rear pair occupying a similar position,though elevated slightly above a horizontal position, as best indicatedin Fig. 2, and vice versa when the plows are lowered the crankarms willbear substantially the same approximately parallel relation. It is to benoted, however, that the arm portions 13 of the shaft 13 are somewhatlonger than the arms 12 of the shaft 12, so that, although the two pairsof arms oscillate through approximately the same angular distance, therear ends of the plows will be elevated considerably more than theirfront portions.

In the preferred embodiment of the in vention shown herein the crankport-ions 15 of the crank-shaft 13 are not connected directly with theplows, but indirectly through the medium of draft-bars 21, which engagea tiebar 18, extending between and engaged with said plows at point-slocated approximately at the highest points of the arched portions, saidbars being connected with the beams by means of suitable clips 19,having bearingapertures 20. Said draft-bars 21 are arranged in pairs,one at each side of the plow-beam, and extend from the bar 18 rearwardlyto and are engaged with the axle portion of the main axle 3 at therespective sides of the main supporting-wheels 4 thereon, While thecrank portions 15 of the crank-shaft 13 are connected with the innermembers of said pairs at points intermediate of their lengths by meansof clips 15. Inasmuch as the draft-bars 21 are longer than thecrank-arms of the crankshaft 13, it will be obvious that as the plowsare raised or lowered the main frame will be shifted longitudinallyrelatively to the axis of the main axle, and such movement is permittedby the rocking of the arch 3 of said main axle, as will be apparent bythe difierent positions which said arch occupies relatively to said mainframe in Figs. 1 and 2.

In order to provide for the longitudinal movement of the main framerelatively to the plows, the crank portions 17 of the crankshaft 14 areunited with the forward portions of the plow-beams by means of slottedclips or supports 22.

As a preferred means of operating the crank-shafts each one is providedwith an upstanding rigid arm, as 23 24, arranged substantiallyinlongitudinal alinementwith each other adjacent to one of the main sideframebars and connected with each other by means of a link-bar 25,pivotally engaged with their outer ends.

26 designates a hand-lever pivotally connected at one end with the mainside frame h member 1 and provided with the usual latch mechanism 27,adapted to cooperate with a notched segment 28, also mounted upon saidmain side frame member 1 concentrically with the pivotal axis of thehand-lever. The hand-lever is connected with the link-bar 25 by means ofan operating-link 29, so that oscillation of the hand-lever will imparta simultaneous movement to the cranked shafts.

In order toin part counterbalance the deadweight of the plows andfacilitate the lifting of the latter, a pair of coiled contractilesprings 30 is provided, one for each plow, each having one end connectedwith the lower part of the plow beneath the share or moldboard and itsopposite end connected with one of the brace-bars 21 adjacent to themain axle, so as to exert an obliquely upward and rearward pull.

The front ends of the plow-beams proper are rigidly united with eachother, preferably by means of a duplex connecting-bar 31, with thecentral portion of which is connected at suitable clevis 32 for theattachment of the doubletrees. As aspecial'feature of improvement Iconnect the connecting-bar 31 with the front portion of the main frameby means of a mechanism which is automatically brought into operation tocarry the forward ends ofthe plows and the doubletrees connectedtherewith when the plows are elevated, but is shifted intosuch positionas to exert practically no carrying action upon the plows when thelatter are in lowered position. As a preferred means of carrying outthis feature a toggle-bar 33 is pivotally connected at one end, as at34, with the cross frame member 2, so as to oscillate in a verticalplane, and the outer or swinging end of said toggle-bar is connectedwith the central portion of the connecting-bar 31 by means of a link 35,the length of this link being such as to bring said toggle-bar into. anapproximately horizontal position when the plows are lowered. \Vith thecentral portion of the toggle-bar 33 is connected a coiled contractilespring 36, which extends thence rearwardly to and is connected with arelatively-fixed part of the main frame conveniently with the crankedshaft 14, the point of connection of said spring being such that whenthe plows are lowered the point of connection 37 of the spring with thetoggle-bar, the pivotal axis 34 of the latter, and the point ofconnection 38 of the spring with the crank-shaft will be substantiallyin alinement, so that the spring will exert no lifting eifect upon theplows. hen, however, the toggle is fiexed upwardly, so as to carry saidpoints out of alinement, the contractile action of the spring will serveto hold the plows uplifted, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

The apparatus is preferably, and as shown herein, provided with awheel-scraping mechanism which may be of any usual or preferredconstruction and which constitutes no part of the present invention,that shown herein comprising a scraper-bar 39, mounted to extendtransversely in rear of the main wheels and carried upon reciprocatingsupporting-bars 40, which extend from the bar forwardly to and areconnected witha footlever 41, pivotally mounted upon the crankshaft 15.The rear ends of said reciprocatory bars are guided in slotted castings42, mounted upon the rear ends of the main side frames, and thescraper-bar is provided at each end with scraper-blocks43, adapted to bebrought into bearing with the wheels by the shifting forward of thefoot-lever in the usual manner.

The apparatus is also provided with a seeddropping mechanism, which maybe of any preferred or suitable construction and the details whereofform no part of the present invention. As shown herein, said mechanismcomprises a pair of seed-hoppers. 44, respectively located above theplows 11 and 12 and mounted upon the crank-shaft 13, so as to move withthe plows, and arranged to discharge into seed-chutes 45,which conveyseed to the furrows in rear of the respective plows. A suitable droppingmechanism is actuated by means of a link drive-belt 46, operativelyconnecting the same with a sprocket-wheel 47, mounted upon one of themain supportingwheels 4, as usual. The main frame is also provided witha seat 48 for the driver,which is mounted upon the main frame at a pointin rearof the point of connection of said frame with the arched axle ina position to afiord convenient access to the hand-lever and footleverhereinbefore described.

The operation of the machine has been sufficiently indicated inconnection with the description of the construction thereof to bereadily understood and need not therefore be repeated.

While I have shown and described what I deem to be a preferredembodiment of my invention, yet it is to be understood that the detailsthereof may be modified to some extent without departing from the spiritof the invention, and I do not therefore wish to be limited to the exactdetails shown herein except as they may be made the subject of specificclaims.

I claim as my inventionthe combination of a main frame, front and rearsupporting-wheels directly connected therewith, a pair of plows, meansfor supporting said plows from said frame and for raising or loweringthem bodily relatively thereto,

comprising a pair of crankshafts mounted upon the main frame atlongitudinally-separated points and each provided with a pair ofcrank-arms, the crank-arms of the front and rear crank-shafts beingrespectively arranged to act upon the front and rear portions of saidplows, interconnections between said crankshafts whereby they are causedto move together, anda hand-lever operatively connected therewith andpivotally-connected draftbars connecting said plows with the main axle,the connections between the plows and supporting-frame being constructedto impart a movement of relatively greater extent to the rear ends ofthe. plows than to their front ends and the connections forming thefront supports being constructed to afford lostmotion, whereby suchdifferential movement is permitted, substantially as described.

2. In a'machiue of the character described, the combination of a mainframe, supportingwheels connected therewith, a pair of plows supportedfrom said frame and means for simultaneously lifting said plowsbodily,comprising a pair of crank-shafts mounted upon the main frame atlongitudinally-separated points and each provided with a pair ofcrankarms, the crank-arms of the front and rear crank-shafts beingrespectively arranged to act upon the front and rear portions of saidplows, interconnections between said crankshafts whereby'they are causedto move together, a hand-lever operatively connected therewith anddraft-bars connecting the plows with the main axle, the arms of therearward crank-sha ft being engaged with the proximate draft-bars andarranged to act on the plows through the medium of the latter, as andfor the purpose set forth.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofmain supporting-wheels, an arched axle connecting saidsupporting-wheels, a horizontal main frame pivotally connected adjacentto its rear end with said arched axle and provided at its forward endwith a pair of caster supportingwheels, a pair of plows arrangedparallel with each other, two cranked shafts mounted upon said mainframe at longitudinally-separated points andhavingtheircrank-armsconnected with the respective plows at correspondingly longitudinallyseparated points, a connecting-link operatively connecting said crankedshafts to cause the same to move together, a hand-lever operativelyconnected with the connecting-link, a tie-bar extending transverselybetween and connecting said plows and draft-bars connecting said tie-barwith the axle portions of the main arched axle at each side of theframe, substantially as described. 1. In a machine of the characterdescribed, 1

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofmain supporting-wheels, an arched axle connecting saidsupporting-wheels, a horizontal main frame pivotally connected adjacentto its rear end with said arched axle and provided atitsforward end witha pair of caster supportingwheels, a pairof plows arranged parallel witheach other, two cranked shafts mounted upon said main frame atlongitudinally-separated points and having their crank-arms connected.with the respective plows at correspondingly longitudinally separatedpoints, a connecting-link operatively connecting said cranked shafts tocause the same to move together, a hand-lever operatively connected withthe connecting-link, a tie-bar extending between and connecting saidplows, draft-bars connecting said tie-barwith the axle portions of themain arched axle at each side of the frame, and a coiled contractilespring extending from the lower rear part of each plow obliquely,upwardly and rearwardly to supports connected with the main axle andtending to lift the plow bodily, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofmain supporting-wheels, an arched axle uniting the same, a pair of mainside frame-bars arranged parallel with each other and each pivotallyconnected with the arched portion of said axle, a cross frame-barrigidly connected with the forward ends of said side frame-bars, castersupporting-wheels connected with the outer ends of said cross frame-bar,a pair of plows arranged parallel with each other and having their frontbeam ends united, said plows being located immediately in front of therespective main supporting-wheels, a tie-bar extending between andconnecting said plows. a draft-bar connecting said tie-bar with the mainaxle at each side of the machine, a cranked shaft provided at each endwith a crank-arm pivotally connected with the proximate draft-bar at apoint intermediate the length of the latter and having its intermediaterock-shaft portionconnected with the main frame at a point in rear ofits point of connection with the draft-bar,a second crankshaft havingsimilar crank-arms respectively connected with the plow-beams near thefront ends of the latter, a rigid arm upon each of said crank-shafts, aconnecting-link uniting said crank-shafts so as to hold their severalpairs of crank-arms approximately in the same angular relation to themain frame; the rearward crank-shaft having arms longer than those ofthe forward crank-shaft, and a hand-lever operatively connected withsaid connecting-link and adapted to oscillate said crank-shaftstogether, substantially as described.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination with themain frame, the two cranked shafts pivotally supported thereon, the pairof plows supported by said cranked shafts, the mechanism imparting alongitudinal shifting of the main frame relatively to the mainsupporting-wheels during the raising and lowering of the plows, and theslotted supports 22 uniting the crank-arms of the forward crank-shaftswith the plowbeams, substantially as described.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a mainsupporting-frame and a plow flexibly suspended from said main frame, ofan auxiliary supporting mechanism for carrying the front end of' theplow independently of the main supporting mechanism, comprising atoggle-bar pivotally connected at one end with the main frame above thefront end of the plow-beam, to oscillate in a vertical plane, aconnecting-link connecting the swinging end of the toggle-bar with theplow-beam, and a contractile spring connected at one end with theintermediate portion of the 'togglebar and extending thence rearwardlyto, and connected with, a relativelyfixed part of, or upon, the mainframe, the relative arrangement of said parts being such that when theplow is elevated, the togglebar will be held in a position approachingthe vertical and the front end of the beam thereby carried by thetension of the spring, and when the plow is lowered,-the toggle-bar willbe carried into a position to bring the tension of the springapproximatelyin alinementwith its pivotal axis, so'that the spring willexert practically no flexing action thereon, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a mainsupporting-frame, an arched main axle provided with mainsupporting-wheels and having its arched portion connected with said mainframe, a pair of plows flexibly supported thereon in parallel relationto each other, a draft-rigging connected directly with the front ends ofthe beams of said plows, and draft-bars pivotally connected with saidplows and extending thence to and connected with said main axle of themachine, whereby'the line of draft is imparted from the plow-beamsdirectly to the axle of the main frame, substantially as described.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a mainsupporting-frame, a Wheeled main axle supporting the rear portion ofsaid frame, a pair of plows arranged parallel with each other at therespective sides of said frame and means for elevating said plows,comprising a cranked shaft mounted upon the forward end of said mainframe and having a pair of crank-arms respectively engaged with thefront portions of the beams of the plows, draft-bars pivotally connectedwith the rear portions of the beams of the plows and extending thence toand pivotally connected with the main axle, and means for positivelyoscillating said crank-shaft and draft-bars, as and for the purposedescribed.

SAMUEL H. TINSMAN. Witnesses:

W. J. KAHLKE, J. D. VAN BUREN.

